You have bought your towbar and had it installed, great – now for the fun part – towing. It’s important to look after your towbar to ensure safe towing journey’s which is why we’re going to share some advice on looking after your towbar.

Caring for your towbar will not only prolong the life of your equipment but will ensure that when you are towing it is a safe journey.

Here are some basic maintenance steps you can do to look after your towbar…

Keep it clean

This seems pretty straight forward but it’s very easy for dirt to build-up on both the tow ball and on housings and attachments. For your tow ball, you should use white spirit or brake cleaner with a cloth to wipe away any dirt. Any grease build-up can attract excess grit which will result in abrasion, so this is an important step.

Regularly inspect

You should regularly check your mountings, fixings and parts for any signs of wear, tightness or damage. Start by checking the mounting of your towbar is secure and also be sure to pay attention to split pins. If you have a detachable towbar then you should inspect the tow ball. All components should still feel tightly fitted, so be sure to look for any signs of looseness.

Check for rust

Towbars are designed to be robust, however, they are unfortunately susceptible to rust due to their metal features. If you are using your towbar in the cold or the rain (both very common within the UK) then this can lead to rust forming. Rust can also form as a result of dirt and grit from the road building-up and causing friction (hence why step one is so important!).

Rust will remove the reliability of your towbar which leads to your towing journeys becoming more and more unsafe!

If you do notice any rust beginning to form, take off any rusty flakes with sandpaper or a wire brush and then apply a primer to protect from future rusting.

Never miss an MOT

Your MOT will include checks of your towbar, so it’s important to make sure you have your regular MOT appointments. During your MOT, your towbar will be checked with a thorough inspection and if there are any signs of excessive wear, breakage, corrosion or modification then you could fail your MOT.

However, if you follow these tips and care for your towbar properly then you shouldn’t come across any of these issues. As the UK’s towbar specialist, PF Jones can help you with any queries you may have about your towbar.

If you have any questions about fitting your towbar, why not take a look at one of our previous articles?

For any technical support, you can reach our team here.